On their way home the next day, Frodo and Sam stopped at the Polwygle Inn in Frogmorton. Merry and Pippin had not gone with them, but had taken the northern road to Bindbole Wood, past Scary and Brockenborings. Frodo hadn't intended to be present when Sam interviewed Betula, but she was already there as they entered the common room.
At the sight of Sam, the girl looked angry and embarrassed, but she came to their table. "Is this him?" she asked Sam. "Your detective?"
"This is Mr. Baggins," Sam replied. "We've got more questions to ask you, Bet."
"Miss Root, I presume," said Frodo. "How do you do? And how is your friend, Jorly?"
"Jorly's still at the stables with Grand-dad," Betula replied sullenly. "Only, he an't my friend anymore. We fell out--and that's your doing." She glared at Sam.
"Now, you can't blame me for what was your own work," Sam scolded.
"If you hadn't come here, offering us gold for those letters, we'd've been happy with what we'd got, and never quarreled."
"That was your own work as well," said Frodo. "You must take some responsibility for the results of your avarice."
The girl looked confused. "Ava- What is it?"
"Greed, Miss Root," he explained.
"I never!"
"Why'd you take those letters then?" Sam asked her. "Wasn't it in hopes of getting some money for 'em? Or did somebody pay you to do it?"
"No!" she shot back.
"Then what put it into your head?" asked Frodo. "Or should I say whom?"
"Say 'who' or 'what,' just as you like," Betula retorted. "I don't have to tell you nothing! I've been in enough trouble over them letters as it is, and I won't say no more."
"We don't mean to make trouble for you, Miss Root," Frodo persisted, "but we must know. Did Jorly put you up to it? Or was it Rolo Bindbole? Did you ever see him before he bought those letters from you? Did you know him in Budgeford?"
But Betula had shut her mouth tightly and refused to speak another word.
"I don't think it was that Jorly," Sam said as they rode the last miles toward Hobbiton. "Not that he wouldn't go in for thievery, but I'd say he didn't know her then. When Betula's grand-dad told me about her troubles, he sounded as if the stable-lad and the other one was different--he'd took her away from the one, and she'd met up with the other lad once they'd come to Frogmorton. Fell in with him, you might say, as they're as matched a pair of mischief-making scoundrels as ever I saw!"
"I expect you're right, Sam. It must be Rolo. We know he's been seen around the Hall for some time, and she shut right up when I spoke his name. He's probably been behind this business all the time, just as Merry says, as a trick to win Camellia back." Frodo sighed. "Poor Camellia. It looks as if she's traded an unhappy situation for a worse one."
"Will you tell her that?"
"I'll have to, but I'd like to have some proof of what I say. If she loves Rolo, it'll be hard for her to accept the truth."
They left their ponies at the stable and walked to Bag End. As they came up the hill, Rosie came out of the house and rushed down to meet them at the front gate; she threw her arms around Sam and gave him a kiss. "Sam, love! I didn't think you'd be home for days!"
They went up the steps to Bag End arm in arm, Rosie chattering happily. Frodo followed. He would let Rosie have Sam tonight. It was only fair, after he'd had Sam all to himself for two days, and he was weary after the exertions of his first serious investigation after so long. He intended to rest before he went to the Old Place tomorrow afternoon.
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